PURPOSE: To provide highest realizable energy density and thereby to carry out rapid and concentrated drying of a paper web.

CONSTITUTION: A drying method having at least one dryer group including a plurality of drying cylinders, each provided with a peripheral surface heated for drying a web 9 moving therepast, comprises the steps of: passing the paper web within a drying group provided with a plurality of drying cylinders 10 rotating in a direction equal to the moving direction of the paper web 9 along the web path; driving some of drying cylinders so that their peripheral surfaces coming into contact with the paper web are rotated at a speed equal to the speed of the paper web; and driving at least one drying cylinder of the drying group so that its peripheral surface is rotated at a speed that is different from the speed of the paper web passing along the peripheral surface of other drying cylinder.